Sestriere ski resort is set high in the mountains near Turin, Italy. Part of the huge Vialattea ski region, Sestriere Italy is an excellent all round skiing destination. See Powderhounds for more information and reviews...

Sestriere Ski Resort Italy

Sestriere ski resort Italy was one of the world’s first purpose-built ski areas way back in the 1930s. It has one of the highest Italian ski resort bases at 2,035m elevation, guaranteeing wonderful snow conditions.

Sestriere ski resort is west of Turin (Torino) and is the main resort on the deliciously large (and world's best value!) Via Lattea (Milky Way) ski pass which links Sestriere's neighbours Oulx (Sauze d'Oulx), Sansicario, Cesana, Claviere and Montgenèvre across the border in France.

Summary of Pros and Cons for Sestriere Ski Resort

Pros

High altitude, sunny location;

Best advanced piste trails in the area;

Best lift system in the Via Lattea;

Quiet on weekdays;

Easy to navigate, family friendly ski resort;

Highest quality accommodation in the region;

Best value lift ticket in Europe (if not the world!);

Direct access to other Via Lattea ski resorts (Oulx, Sansicario).

Cons

Busy on weekends.

Pro or Con (depending on your point of view)

Après only gets interesting on weekends;

Not the prettiest village in the world, but beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!

Sestriere Ski & Snowboard Terrain

Sestriere and its nearby Via Lattea ski resorts hosted the World Alpine Ski Championships in 1997 & alpine events in the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics. Despite this honour Sestriere is an area best suited to intermediates on the piste. Some great advanced piste exists but it is not extensive. Challenging off-piste terrain is available for powder seekers & fresh snow can lay unsullied alongside piste runs for days. See the Sestriere ski trail map here.

Sestriere's local ski area offers 58 pistes (as part of the Via Lattea's 238 runs total) and is served by a range of 19 button lifts, chairs and a gondola in two main sectors: Sises directly in front of the Sestriere village; and Motta above the Borgata village down valley from Sestriere. Motta is higher than Sises, has more skiing options, and is best known for the 2.5km Kandahar Slalom Giovanni Alberto Agnelli run (700m vertical). Letting ti rip down this run is a wonderful eye watering experience. Sises’ equivalent world class run is the Col de Sises black which provides good off-piste action especially after fresh snowfalls. The fun top section of Sises area is served by a longish surface tow which may challenge some snowboarders.

Beginner slopes and a snow-park are above the ski school meeting point near the village centre, which is nice and handy if you are starting out. There are numerous easy beginner trails in the Borgata ski area & longer trails coming down from the Fraiteve behind the village.

To get the best out of this high alpine Italian ski experience go to Sestriere during the week (not weekends), take your kids, get the cheap as chips Via Lattea ski pass (see below) and do a crash course in the Italian language!

Interlinked with the Via Lattea

You can access all of the Italian Via Lattea ski resorts directly from Sestriere via the Fraiteve gondola using the standard daily ski pass. The gondola is the best access to the other resorts in the area, effectively tripling the Sestriere ski area off one lift. See the Via Lattea ski trail map here.

From the top of the gondola one can head left to Sansicario and Cesana (then eventually Claviere) or right into the excellent Oulx (Sauze d'Oulx). From Claviere, a supplement is required to be paid for the ski pass to cover the lifts at the Montgenevre ski resort in France (recommended).

The Via Lattea gives Sestriere skiers access to nearly 400km of ski runs serviced by 70 lifts. For those up to the challenge, skiing the entire Via Lattea in a day is possible following the 'Giro Della Via Lattea. Much like the famous Sella Ronda in the Dolomites, the tour will showcase the entire region and is reasonably well signposted and straight forward to follow. Start early though!

Heliskiing at Sestriere

At least one heliskiing company is based in Sestriere. Single run, full day and multi day options are available on a vast number of peaks in the Val di Susa. View a Sestriere heliski tour option here.

Sestriere Snow & Weather

Whilst Sestriere sits on a delightfully sunny plateau, its mainly north facing slopes enjoy guaranteed quality snow cover thanks to reliable natural snowfall, high base altitude & one of the world's most extensive snow making operations. South facing slopes above and behind the village can get sun affected so after a snowfall, ski the off-piste there earlier rather than later.

Where is Sestriere, Italy?

Sestriere is located 100km west of Turin, in the Piedmont region of Italy. The nearest international airports are Turin & Milan, although train access is good meaning Paris & Lyon are viable options as well.

Oulx is the closest gateway town to Sestriere (21km away) providing the best train & bus transport links to the resort. Trains from Milan, Turin, Lyon & Paris all stop at Oulx. The train journey from Paris to Oulx is around 5hr, from Turin about 1hr. From Oulx station, regular buses (or taxi) link to Sestriere in about 30 minutes. For direct private transfers click here.

By car the quickest access to Sestriere from Turin is via Oulx and Cesana off the E70 motorway (autostrade - toll road). Travel time is 1.5hr. For a more scenic route, one can also take the A55/SP23 road from Turin via Pinerolo. Travel time is 2hr.

Sestriere Accommodation

Sestriere is made up of five villages along the SP23 road: Sestriere, Sestriere Borgata, Pragelato, Champlas du Col & Champlas Janvier. Unfortunately, the main ski village at Sestriere lacks the charm & romance of a classic European ski resort. While its architecture is certainly not to everyone's taste, Sestriere's village does have one massive advantage - location, location, location. Sestriere has a delightful sunny (& snow laden) location plus is far and away the best positioned for access to the majority of shops, services, the Sises ski slopes and the rest of the Via Lattea.

The other four villages are more traditional in nature. Sestriere Borgata is the closest, lower down the valley & providing the best for access to the Motta ski area. Most of the accommodation options are effectively 'ski in' & the Sestriere resort village is just a short lift ride away.

The accommodation standard of many of the Sestriere hotels is commonly embellished but better than other villages in the broader Via Lattea. A plethora of apartment accommodation built for the 2006 Olympics provide reasonably modern, well fitted out good value lodgings. Other options include various bed and breakfasts plus private rental houses.

For a flying visit to Sestriere, or if sampling the entire area, the village of Oulx offer some easy alternatives. In Oulx, hotels & apartments near the central train & bus station or the old town offer very contrasting experiences.

Between Oulx & Sestriere is Cesana. With its lovely town centre & central location n the absolute heart of the Via Lattea, Cesana is also worth considering. Cesana & Oulx are both easily linked to Sestriere by bus, ski lift & piste.

Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding

Ski rentals are available in the Sestriere villages. Search & book ski or snowboard rentals here.

A mind-boggling array of ski instructors, ski schools & guides ply their trade in the Sestriere ski resort & adjoining valleys. To narrow down the field, search & book a private lesson or resort guide with the best providers here.

Sestriere Activities

Sestriere has 10km of cross-country ski tracks and ice-skating in the centre of Sestriere Colle village. The aprés ski really kicks in over the weekends when the locals from Turin come to play.

Nearby Ski Resorts

The Powderhounds secret stash ski resort of Prali is a 60km drive away in a secluded valley to the south east. Bardonecchia ski resort on the French border towards the Maurienne valley is only a 12min train ride from Oulx. In France, via the Montgenevre ski resort and near the town of Briancon, Serre Chevalier is well worth a visit (as is Briancon's old fort).

Heli Skiing Tours

Heliski the powder laden Susa valley in Piedmont, Italy. Enjoy 4-5000m vertical a day with single descents of up to 1600m. Stay in beautiful accommodation at Sestriere ski resort. Get your own group of 4+ together for a custom tour. Read more

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